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Music Industry’s Deadly Consolidation

There’s an interesting article on Slate about the steady consolidation of the music industry since 1980. Despite their irrational and misplaced paranoia about internet file-swapping, recent media converage is starting to suggest that the steady decline in sales is self-inflicted.

The Salon article draws parallels between the recent situation and the state of music in the late 1970’s, where ‘disco’ style acts led to flagging sales…

Although usually termed teen-pop, the music of ‘N Sync and Britney Spears is not unlike disco: Both are intellectually underachieving, cookie-cutter styles that have made stars of performers not known primarily for their skills as singers, songwriters, or musicians.

In the late 1970’s record companies even organised a campaign against cassette recording.. claiming that it robbed artists of their income. But in 1980, the industry was saved by the arrival of MTV and music videos… the exact sort of technological innovation the RIAA is spending millions to combat.
Salon

I particularly liked this quote…

In erecting bulwarks around their domains, the major music businesses have left no entrance for the serendipity that kept the pop industry lively (and profitable) for decades.

A fascinating weekend read, and made we wonder if the game industry is not also vulnerable to consolidation that will ultimately stifle creativity to the point of self-destruction. After all, isn’t the movie industry in dire trouble this year with only the biggest CG titles making any sort of profit at the box office?

  posted by bruce · at 1:50 pm · filed under News